Anderson waits for results after major overhaul at Maryland - baltimoresun.com
Interesting read on the state of Maryland Athletics through KA's eyes. I'm all for "doing things the right way" but if Edsall doesn't win in the next couple years, he's going to be gone...and Kevin Anderson might not be too far behind.

Does C.J. Leslie’s return make N.C. State the preseason favorite in the ACC? - The Dagger
In case you hadn't heard, C.J. Leslie's coming back, which has fully entrenched State as the ACC's media favorites and perhaps next year's trendy pick. And I'm not sure how I feel about that.

There's obviously talent down there - as much as they've ever had, probably. I have my doubts about Purvis, but I'm a fan of T.J. Warren and Lo Brown is a star. But ... they weren't exactly lacking talent last year, either, and they needed the conference's easiest schedule to sneak into the NCAAs with a weak bubble. If they draw a tougher six-seed than SDSU - like Florida (who was a 7) or Cincinnati, for example - or if they don't beat Georgetown, is anyone saying they're likely to win the ACC? Of course not. Win two games in March, and the previous five months are irrelevant. But they're the same team - talented, capable of beating anyone, and possessing of a few fatal flaws. Are they really going to show up every game in the conference and beat out a not-vintage-but-still-really-talented Carolina? I just don't see it. - Ben B.

Patrick Stevens' most recent lacrosse bracketology
For the laxbros among us: PS puts Maryland as the #3 seed, playing in Chester, Pa. against Syracuse. Would meet the winner of Notre Dame/Penn State in the second round. Two questions from a lax novice: they play lacrosse in Tyreke Evans/Bo Ryan Chester, Pa.? And seriously, what happened to Syracuse that they're not even seeded? Eek. - Ben B.

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Outside of the Terrell Stoglin news, it's been a relatively slow news day. Thankfully, there's new video on two (three?) realistic Terps targets, the Harrison Twins and Sam Cassell Jr. Enjoy!

Harrison Twins look awesome as ever in new mixtape - Ball Is Life

I think we should recruit these guys.

VIDEO: Sam Cassell Jr., a Scorer's Scorer

New video of arguably the top prospect remaining on Turgeon's big board for 2012, Sam Cassell Jr. He doesn't seem to have lightning quick speed or even a great handle but he's got good size for a guard and can certainly shoot from mid range and beyond. That's something the Terps need -- big time.

Turgeon on Stoglin returning...

"Terrell and I have talked, and I think he’s made an educated decision," Turgeon said. "I think this is the best decision for Terrell at this time and it’s good for Maryland basketball. I feel like he needs to grow as a complete player, and I think Terrell wants to be part of an NCAA tournament.

Hopefully whatever philosophical differences the two had have been worked out. Oh and that whole part about Terrell playing in the Tourney? Yeah, that'd be sweet too.

InsideMDSports: N.C. point guard Madison Jones 'very interested' in Terps

Another guard target for Turgeon and Co. With all these names popping up, it seems all but certain the Terps will take at least one more guard in the 2012 class. Here's some video of Madison if you're so inclined.

Rutgers' Gilvydas Biruta to transfer from Scarlet Knights program | NJ.com

Biruta's a 6' 8 power forward the Terps targeted a few years back. Some have linked Biruta to the Terps in the last 24 hours but I think it's more likely he ends up at Rhode Island where his high school coach was just named head man.

Mason Plumlee "looking at the NBA"

Yes, please. A Duke team without Plumlee and Rivers would probably be a middle of the pack ACC team.

Well, folks, it's finally here. After weeks of uncertainty the ACC has released its 2012 football schedule. There are no major surprises as we already knew the Terps' home and away ACC opponents, but with today's release of the schedule we now know the order of those games.

Without further ado, here it is:

William and Mary (9/1)
AT Temple (9/8)
Connecticut (9/15)
AT West Virginia (9/22)
BYE WEEK (9/29)
Wake Forest (10/6)
AT Virginia (10/13)
NC State (10/20)
AT Boston College (10/27)
Georgia Tech (11/3)
AT Clemson (11/10)
Florida State (11/17)
AT North Carolina (11/24)

The two biggest things that stand out to me are a very tough stretch in November (GT, @ Clemson, FSU) and the fact that the Terps alternate back and forth between home and away games every week of the season. The slew of tough games at the back end of the season should actually favor the Terps as CJ Brown will have time to acclimate himself with the new offense before facing the ACC's best.

I'm not exactly sure what to make of the alternating home/away games. Maybe, if nothing else, it will give the Terps some structure and consistency.

Overall, I see about 6 wins here. What say you?

Bino in Texas to Visit Shaq, Harrison Twins; Turgeon expected next week
Per the guys at IMS. This, my friends, is good news. Go get em' Bino.

Danny O’Brien’s decision likely to have major impact on Maryland football - The Washington Post
A nice roundup from the Post on what an O'Brien departure would mean. DOB has been rumored to be headed out for a little while now. Not sure when a decision will be made but he's supposedly going to talk it over with his family this weekend.

Stefon Diggs set to make college choice Friday, with Florida believed to be leading Maryland as his most likely destination - The Washington Post
When's the last time there's been this much drama surrounding a Maryland football recruitment? It seems to be a Maryland/Florida battle. We'll find out for sure where Diggs will be playing tomorrow.

Stefon Diggs To Announce Friday Night: Where Will He Sign? - SBNation.com
Bud Elliott, who's opinion I really trust, thinks that Diggs will end up at Maryland. He gives a good overall view on Diggs' recruitment. What say you, Terps fans? - Dave

Maryland Coach Randy Edsall grilled by WTEM’s ‘Sports Reporters’ - Terrapins Insider - The Washington Post
Andy Pollin and Steve Czaban absolutely gutted Edsall in an interview Tuesday. Got to give Coach some credit for facing these questions on air, and Andy and Steve for having the stones to ask them. - Pete

Mid-Atlantic Bias: Could Terrell Stoglin become Maryland’s all-tme leading scorer?
Interesting question. Mid-Atlantic Bias breaks down the numbers.

This is a post we do from time to time after games. It's modeled off a similar piece by Kevin Van Valkenburg formerly of the Baltimore Sun. Feel free to agree, disagree, or post your four things in the comments section below.

1. There is no such thing as a moral victory in sports. At least that's what we're told. I'm not sure if moral victories do exist, but if they do, what the Terps have done the past two games is as close to a moral victory as you can get.

On Wednesday, the Terps battled with a good Miami team to double overtime before eventually falling. Today, they gave the #6 team in the country, stacked with three sure-fire 1st round NBA picks all they could handle. At the end of the regular season when committees make their selections both of these games will show up as Ls on the resume. But for this team and its young players, the efforts they put out the last two games certainly mean something.

Let's take a short trip back to where we were at the start the season. I, personally, had no expectation of making the NCAA Tournament, little expectation of even making the NIT, and no confidence that we could hang tough with two top ten teams in Duke and North Carolina. We had eight scholarship players (at the time), one fourth-year senior, and had lost our best player to the NBA Draft.

It's easy to forget all that because the Terps have played pretty well. For the most part, they've beaten the teams they're supposed to beat, and they've taken the ACC's best down to the wire. Naturally, we, as fans, are disappointed when they lose any game. That disappointment is exacerbated when the loss is a very winnable game against a top 10 team. But let's take a moment to look at some positive here.

For young guys like Nick Faust and Alex Len, guys who will form the core of this team for the next two or three years, the experience of being in a dogfight is one they'll remember next year. They'll know what it's like to play in a big game that goes down to the wire. They'll know what it's like to play in front of a packed Comcast Center. And soon enough, because of these close, tough losses, they'll learn how to win these types of games.

Despite the massive talent differential and despite the inexperience, Mark Turgeon has his team fighting, scrapping, and clawing against the conference's best. Let's give the players and the coach some credit for that.

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For those of you new here this is a piece we do from time to time after games. It's modeled off a similar article done by Kevin Van Valkenburg formerly of the Baltimore Sun. Feel free to post your four things in the comments section below.

1. Terrell Stoglin gets a lot of publicity as Maryland's best player, but it's hard to imagine where this team would be without Sean Mosley.

Sean Mosley's not a particularly sexy player. He's not incredibly athletic, he doesn't have a deadly shot, and up until this season he had a habit of missing easy layups. But this year Sean Mosley has emerged as the unquestioned leader of this team. In fact, without him, I'm not sure Maryland wins this game.

Mosley was terrific today (15 pts, 3 steals). But statistics alone don't tell the whole story. Simply put, when the Terps needed a big play today, Sean Mosley delivered. When Virginia Tech cut the lead to 6 with 13 and a half minutes left, Mosley responded with two jumpers and two steals in the span of two minutes to put the Terps back up by 11. With three and a half minutes left and Virginia Tech about to cut the lead to 6 with an easy layup, it was Mosley who came out of nowhere for a momentum changing block that may have been the play of the game.

It's hard to estimate his value because so much of what he does is intangible. They don't keep statistics for charges taken but if they did, I'm pretty sure Mosley would be near the top of the ACC. The same goes for dives on the floor and shots altered. Consider what Ashton Pankey had to say about Mosley after the Duke loss when asked about the youth on this year's team.

"Sean [Mosley] is basically our only leader. He's experienced NCAA tournaments; he's experienced just getting that far. We feed off of him and him being our leader."

There's a reason that Turgeon has said Sean Mosley is the most important person in his life right now besides his family. He's the anchor of this team, he's the glue that brings all these young guys together, and if you think his presence won't be missed next season, you're fooling yourself.

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Ron Darby meeting with Maryland and Mike Locksley
Landing Ronald Darby, much like landing Eddie Goldman or Stefon Diggs, would be mind-numblingly awesome, especially after seeing where he ended up in the updated Scout and 247 rankings over the past few days (#9 on Scout, #16 on 247). I've always considered him the least likely of the big three, though: he's the only one to commit somewhere else over Maryland, the only one without a teammate or two in his ear, and of course he'll be influenced by the track program, of which Maryland is currently without. It'll be a massive challenge for Locksley, but if anyone turn him, it's probably Locks. - BB

247 Releases Final 2012 Football Rankings
The whole list is worth checking out but of interest to Terp fans are:

Stefon Diggs - #10

Eddie Goldman - #14

Ronald Darby - #16

Wes Brown - #171

Of those top 3 uncommitted, the Terps probably have the best shot with Diggs. Would be a HUGE pickup.

Coach: Terps running back commitment Albert Reid is 'a complete back'
High school coaches always have positive things to say about their players but I'm particularly excited about Albert Reid. Between him and Wes Brown, the Terps should be stacked at running back for years to come.

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The Maryland Minute is back with a vengeance. This edition has optimism for Terps basketball and some notes on our latest football recruit. Let's kick it off.

Jeff Goodman likes Maryland, thinks they can make a run
That makes one of us, but it's still great to hear.

The more I think about this Maryland team, there's no reason they can't make a run somewhere in the top half of the league. After Duke and Carolina, it's fairly wide open. Sure, Florida State has no shortage of players and both Virginia and Virginia Tech have more talent than Maryland, but the Terps have a star in Stoglin -- and now he won't have to do it all for Turgeon.

He also says Len might start from Day One. - BB

My take: I'd imagine Len will eventually work his way into the starting lineup, but I doubt it's from Day One. Also, I tend to agree with Goodman. If Turgeon can somehow figure out how to make this Pe'Shon/Stoglin PG situation work, the Terps may surprise some people.

Turgeon takes in City v. Patterson in Baltimore
According to a couple tweets. He was presumably there to see 2014 Dwayne Morgan. He also probably enjoyed the Aquille Carr show.

New LB commit already sticking it to FSU
From IMS:

"Terps new commitment, LB Dallas Griffiths from Tallahassee, says he chose Maryland in part for the chance to show FSU it whiffed on him."

I like.

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At this point, no one should be surprised that yet another "fine young man" has decided to transfer from the football program. But this one stings a little bit more, doesn't it?

Coxson, a four star wide receiver out of Baltimore, came to the Terps after transferring from the University of Florida in the Fall of 2010. He didn't get a ton of burn this year (he only appeared in two games), but showed flashes of potential, particularly against Boston College where he went for 3 catches, 78 yards and a TD. Coxson was a redshirt freshman this season so there was still plenty of football left to be played.

No reasons have come out as to why Coxson is transferring but he did have this to say via his Twitter feed:

@adriancoxson adrian coxson

This my second and last time moving on..it's what's best for me and my family. I hate to leave but I have to.

50 minutes ago via Twitter for iPad Favorite Retweet Reply

As for what it means for Maryland going forward, it's certainly a loss but the depth at wide receiver should ease the pain a bit. The Terps have a couple of talented veteran wide receivers in Kevin Dorsey and Kerry Boykins, and I've got high hopes for freshmen Marcus Leak and Tyrek Cheeseboro. Additionally, Nigel King, one of the Terps' highest rated recruits from last season, should be eligible to play this year.

The loss of Coxson hurts because he was young, talented, and could have helped open up some more pipelines to Baltimore. But this isn't a travesty for the Terps. They've still got talent at wide receiver, and a bevy of open scholarships to help fill the void. For now, just sit back, take a deep breath and repeat: "Maryland football will be OK...", "Maryland football will be OK..." Maybe rock out to some Queen while you're at it.

Maryland may play in Baltimore next season; Could Georgetown be far behind? - Terrapins Insider 

To the first idea: yes, yes, and yes. Establish yourself as Baltimore's college basketball team. Then alternate the game in D.C. and try to pry some of the college basketball market away from Georgetown. This makes too much sense.

Speaking of Georgetown, Turgeon said he'd be interested in discussing a potential game against the Hoyas but not through the media.

"I promise you," Turgeon told a handful of reporters, "you guys will be the last to know."

I love this man.

Turgeon on his style of play

"Play with toughness, man to man defense, not going to run the flex...great spacing and movement"

R.I.P. Flex offense.

Should Danny O'Brien stay or should he go?
Good question, really. Throughout this whole transition, he's the one who's been screwed the most. I wish the best for him regardless of how it shakes out.

Maryland quarterback Danny O’Brien should have options after season - Terrapins Insider
Good rundown on the DOB situation. I had no idea he was set to graduate in the Spring. Hasn't he been here two years? 

Davin Meggett on moral victories - Baltimore Sun

"You win or you don't. Either she's pregnant or she's not." 

Alright, then.  

Sidenote: We should get tidbits like this from Davin Meggett on whole host of other issues.  Like "Davin Meggett on Global Warming" or "Davin Meggett on the Debt Ceiling."  Someone call TerpsTV.

Greivis is Gracing Magazines
El hombre.

Terps working on Irish recruit, Ronald Darby
Gotta love this new free IMS feature. Darby would be a HUGE get for Maryland. These are the kind of guys you need to keep in-state. 

At Maryland, the adults in charge need to act like it - The Washington Post
Great take from Tracee Hamilton at the Post. Edsall throwing Friedgen and the players under the bus was irresponsible, and didn't exactly endear Edsall to the players or the fans.  

Maryland Opens As 14 Point Underdogs
We can cover that, right? Right!?

Nate Britt receives UNC offer
He's been rumored to have favored Maryland and UNC for awhile now. Carolina's a major threat on this one.

Turgeon visits McGary today
Per his HS Coach. Not feeling great about our chances here but at least Turge isn't giving up. 

Brenda Scores Another Top 10 Recruit
Malina Howard, a 6' 5 center from Ohio chose the Terps over Notre Dame. She is ranked the #7 player in the nation by ESPN.com.

Those funky little play cards " Terrapin Trail
I haven't caught this once this year. Pretty funny, though.

By now you’ve all heard the news that Pittsburgh and Syracuse will be joining the Atlantic Coast Conference. 

This makes sense on a lot of levels for the ACC:

1. Both schools fit academically with the standards of the conference.

2. If you’re trying to strike a balance with schools that have excellent basketball (the ACC’s bread and butter) and solid football programs, you can’t do too much better than Pitt and Syracuse. 

3. Adding the markets of Pennsylvania and New York helps to solidify a continuous ACC presence along the eastern seaboard.

All that is important for both Maryland and the ACC, but what has me most excited about the additions of Pittsburgh and Syracuse is the opportunity to start a real, hated-filled rivalry with another team from the city of Pittsburgh.

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We'll be busting out this format every now and again after games.  It's an homage to a similar column done by Kevin Van Valkenburg at the Baltimore Sun.  Feel free to list your five things in the comments section.  

1. It’s only been two weeks, but the new defense looks like it could use some work.

Yes, it’s early. And yes, the defense is learning a new system. But it’s hard to walk away from these first two games and be impressed with what the defense has done. Against Miami, the D gave up 367 yards to an offense missing its starting quarterback, star receiver, and starting tight end. Today, Todd Bradford’s squad was atrocious, giving up 480 yards to the Mountaineers.

West Virginia has a very good offense, and they’re tough to defend. But you can’t expect to give up nearly 500 yards and win a football game. The run defense was solid today, but through the air West Virginia was able to get whatever it wanted. Geno Smith threw for almost 400 yards and completed 36 passes. I don’t know if it’s a personnel problem or a scheme problem, but Bradford should go back to drawing board this week because defensively, this team is not where it needs to be.

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Yup, we're leading with a soccer story.

Maryland Soccer Ranked #1 in NSCAA Poll
Receiving 20 of 23 first place votes after dismantling #8 BC 4-0. They take on N.C. State Friday at 7:30. If you fancy yourself some good soccer, make it out to Ludwig to see these guys. 

Randy Edsall gets trucked in practice
Pretty cool of Edsall to post this on Twitter. At least he's not as insecure as this guy.

Terps' Furstenburg a target out of the blocks - Washington Times
Furstenberg was targeted six times against Miami, and I'd expect that trend to continue throughout the season. He's a big target that DOB should come to love on third downs. 

Seth Allen 2010-2011 Basketball Highlights - SICK! - YouTube
SICK! pretty aptly describes this video. His game seems a little Stoglin-esque, albeit with a better looking stroke. Seth Allen is going to surprise some people.

Summing up the college hoops preseason in 140 characters (or less) - Andy Glockner - SI.com
Pretty good stuff from Andy Glockner. Here's what he said on the Terps:

"Still laughing about MD as a top-10 job? Wait till 2012-13 to see the dawn of what Turg, Hill and Ranson are quickly building. #DMVisripe"

Besides the fact that only one of our current commits is from the DMV, not too much to argue with there. Now if we could just get oh let's say Mitch McGary, we'd really start to turn some heads.

Vellano named to Rotary Lombardi watch list
Well deserved. He had two fumble recoveries last game. 

We thought we'd take a break from all the new uniform coverage and get back to the Top Terp Tournament.  It's the Final Four, people.  And these next three matchups will determine who you, the Testudo Times community, crowns as the top Maryland basketball player of the Gary Williams era.

These two names should be familiar to all Terp fans, even the youngins who never got to see Walt "The Wizard" play. In the #1 spot is Juan Dixon: Maryland's all time leading scorer, and the undisputed leader of its only National Championship winning team.  The #4 seed belongs to Walt Williams: the star who stuck around after the sanctions hit and put together perhaps the greatest statistical individual season of any Terp ever.  We break down Juan vs. Walt below.

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Can't get enough Uni talk?  Us either.  Some great articles in here, especially from Michael Wilbon. 

University of Maryland's new football uniforms are making Terrapins relevant - ESPN
Michael Wilbon hasn't been this readable in years. Fantastic piece about the new unis, the thought process behind them, and what they're doing. I love Kevin Plank. - BB

My Take: Check out the SportsNation poll on the side. 30% think they're the "worst uniforms ever," 37% "love the new look." How's that for disparity?

Maryland’s new uniforms covered by Good Morning America - DC Sports Bog
And the buzz keeps buzzing...

Terrapins don't supersize - Washington Examiner
Good piece on the O-Line. They did a pretty good job of keeping DOB upright and it seems like the up tempo style of play we saw Monday will be a staple of this offense.

SLAM releases Top 50 for 2012
McGary receives his highest ranking yet at #2.  Shaq is #37.  No Layman on the list.

Is Under Armour ready for the big leagues? - Business - Macleans.ca
If you'd like a business perspective on UA vs. Nike...  Love this quote from Kevin Plank talking about overtaking Nike.

"I’m 38," he told Bloomberg news. "I’ve got a long time [to get there]." As for Nike, he said, "those guys are old."

Jerami Grant shows love to MD fans
If you love us, we love you back, Moo Moo.  (It's his Twitter handle.  I don't give weird nicknames to recruits, I swear.)

Jerami Grant visiting Rutgers, possibly Maryland

According to Dematha's head coach. Also says that Grant will decide next week. It seems the Terps have a shot in this one.

Temper expectations with Alex Len - Dave Telep

So Len isn't on the level of an Enes Kanter or Steve Adams. No surprise. He's still a skilled big with loads of height and potential. 

Amile Jefferson Interviews, Reveals Little Information

He did name Maryland as one of seven schools recruiting him the hardest. He also said he's "hoping" to make a visit to College Park.

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Today's Top Terp matchup pits two athletically-gifted players with short Terp careers against one another.  In the #7 slot is Takoma Park native, Steve Francis.  In the #10 spot is the dread-rocking, rim-rattling Chris Wilcox.  Both were extremely talented players, and both ended their college careers relatively quickly.  We break down the matchup below. 

The #7 Seed - #23, Steve Francis, SG, 1998-1999

Stevie Franchise was only in College Park for one season but he certainly made his mark on Maryland basketball.  The acrobatic Francis averaged 17 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 4.5 assists a game during the '98-'99 season and led Maryland to the Sweet 16 (their third appearance in a 5 year span).  The Terps received the #2 seed in that tournament and finished the year with a 28-5 record.  

His team accomplishments were impressive, at least as much as they can be in only one season.  But what really sets Francis apart isn't his team accomplishments or his statistics even, but the general sense of excitement that he brought to Maryland basketball.  Francis was, in every sense of the term, a human highlight reel.  He loved to dunk the basketball and was maybe the most exciting individual player to watch in the Gary era.  (Joe Smith could probably make a case, as well.)

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So the news broke today that the University of Miami is officially reviewing the eligibility of 15 student athletes.  There is no mention of how many of the athletes are football players, but based on the recent allegations from former booster Nevin Shapiro, it seems that the list of involved players will be football heavy.

In the recent Yahoo! Sports article detailing the alleged violations at "The U," Shapiro listed the following current players as having taken improper benefits: Jacory Harris, Vaughn Telemaque, Ray Ray Armstrong, Travis Benjamin, Aldarius Johnson, Marcus Forston, Olivier Vernon, Marcus Robinson, Adewale Ojomo, Dyron Dye, JoJo Nicholas and Sean Spence.  For those of you counting at home, that’s 11 projected starters including possible starting quarterback Jacory Harris (Harris was expected to compete with sophomore Stephen Morris for the starting job).

As for why this is all important to our Terps, the answer should be fairly obvious.  Maryland opens its season against Miami under the bright lights of Byrd, September 5^th.  Today’s comments from Miami President Donna Shalala shed light on the "review" process and a potential time table:

"The Miami athletic compliance staff, in a joint effort with the NCAA, is now beginning the process of reviewing the eligibility of 15 current student-athletes," Shalala said. "With the season fast approaching I know our players, coaches and fans are eager to know the results. The process, however, must be deliberate and thorough to ensure its integrity."

How about adding Maryland fans to the list of those "eager to know the results?" 

Deliberate and thorough is all well and good but I’m going to be thoroughly pissed if 12 ineligible players suit up for Miami on Labor Day, and then we happen to find out they all received improper benefits.  Sure, the NCAA might scratch a potential win from Miami’s record books but that would do nothing to help Maryland’s record and season in the event of a loss.

It seems to me that if Yahoo! has 20,000 pages of business records, 5,000 pages of cell phone records, and over a 1,000 photographs backing up Nevin Shapiro’s statements, he’s probably telling the truth.  And I don’t doubt for a second that most of the 12 named players probably took illegal benefits.  That said, there is a concept of "innocent until proven guilty" in this country.  And it would suck for kids who did nothing wrong to be held out of a big game like this. 

I see both sides of the argument here, but I just find it unlikely that all (or at least most) of these guys are innocent.  It would be a shame for Maryland to have to line up against 11 starters who will very likely be named ineligible weeks later. 

Ben B. already covered the big news of the day: our star quarterback getting "repped" by D.C.'s own, Wale.  But there are a couple other link-worthy stories.  Behold the Friday MM...

Mitch McGary "not thinking" about skipping college
Phew.  We can all breathe a little easier.

Big Ten says it has no plans to expand in the foreseeable future - ESPN
So I guess Maryland will be staying in the ACC...for now.

The Marietta Daily Journal - Klemm finding way as member of Maryland’s offensive line
Klemm's hometown paper does a nice little profile. - BB

#5 Terps Open With Win Over #22 Minnesota
Junior Danielle Hubka netted the only goal to give Maryland the 1-0 victory. It's going to be fun having two top 5 soccer teams on campus this Fall.

PSA: IMS Running Promo
Figured we'd give a shout-out to our friends at Inside MD Sports about a promo their running. A fair number of you aren't fans of premi sites, I know - and, in fact, it's in some cases why you're here - but if you are they'll take your current subscription from Rivals or Scout and match it. Pretty good deal, especially if you already have a subscription elsewhere. - BB

PSA #2: Fan Appreciation Day Set for Saturday
If your'e an early Byrd (see what I did there), Edsall and Co. are opening up practice Saturday morning from 8:15 to 10:30 am. Could be fans last chance to see the Terps before the big opener against Miami. 

Today, Testudo Timers, the real tournament starts.  The play-in matchup was enjoyable and competitive (D.J. Strawberry emerged victorious) but now it's time to get into the real meat of this competition.  This is the equivalent of that "take off from work" first Thursday of the tournament.  

Today's 8/9 matchup pits two great Terps against one another.  In the #8 spot, we've got Lonny Baxter: the 6' 8 big man from Silver Spring, MD who helped lead the Terps to their first and only National Championship.  In the #9 spot is Johnny Rhodes: a four year starting shooting guard who leads not only Maryland, but the entire ACC, in career steals.  We break down the matchup below:   

#15, Johnny Rhodes, SG, 1992-1996

The two things that immediately stand out when looking at Johnny Rhodes' overall body of work is his consistency and his steals numbers.  Rhodes was a four-year starter at Maryland and averaged double figures in scoring all four years (14, 12.5, 14, and16.7, respectively).  He also averaged an impressive 5.7 rebounds per game over the course of his career.  When it came to defense, Rhodes was simply on another planet.  He still holds the ACC career steals record with 344, include the single season record of 110.  As for the team's success while Johnny was there, the Terps made three NCAA Tournaments, including two Sweet 16s, and helped breathe back life into a once dead Maryland basketball program. 

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